Health Care Assistant - Specialist Hospice at Home

Job description

Job responsibilities

Weldmar Hospicecare

Job Description and Person Specification

Job Title: Health Care Assistant

Department: Weldmar Specialist Hospice at Home

Location: Specialist Hospice at Home hubs

South Hub (Dorchester), West Hub (Bridport) and North Dorset

Hours of work: 37.5 (Part time hours considered)

Grade: Clinical Salary Scale Band 3

Reports to: Weldmar Community Nurse

Responsible for N/A

Job Context

Weldmar Hospicecare is an independent charity that provides specialist end of life care to patients and those that are important to them throughout Dorset. This care is given in the comfort of patients own homes by Weldmars Specialist Hospice at Home service, and via Wellbeing Services held across the county or as inpatients at our hospice in Dorchester. Our team of dedicated staff and volunteers ensure that we can continue to support patients through one of lifes most difficult journeys. We work closely with other health care providers including the NHS to ensure that our patients receive the highest possible care.

We do receive some funding from the NHS but the majority of our income is generated by our fundraising and retail teams, which plays a vital part in securing income to fund our care, both now and in the future.

Job Purpose

The team of Health Care Assistants work from a number of locations across our catchment area within the specialist Hospice at Home hubs.

The post holder will work collaboratively with clinical colleagues and external agencies to provide an agile and responsive service based on needs identified by the Specialist Hospice at Home team.

- Provide a reassurance to patients and/ or families, reducing the likelihood of hospital admission.

- Offering hands on care to patients at home

- Providing emotional support and advice

Scope and Limits of Authority

Working closely with other colleagues in the community you will be providing care, advice, support and informal teaching to patients and family members.

Reporting to a Weldmar Community Nurse, the Health Care Assistant works under the direction of the WCN/WCNS team in the hub:

- Ensuring safe care is delivered to patients in their own home, as allocated.

- To establish and maintain effective positive communication with each member of the area hub team. Respecting the contribution each member brings, ensure the team works collaboratively and compassionately

- To work independently and with other members of the team, as well as external agencies when needed.

- To demonstrate respect, kindness and empathy at all times as a visitor in a patients own home.

- To recognise difficult or unexpected situations that required additional assistance and know who and when to contact.

- Through patient and family education to empower them to feel safe at home, if thats where they choose to be.

- To be agile and responsive to needs of patients

- The roles requires flexibility in accordance with service and patient need. Hours of working will be 9-5 to include weekends on a rota basis.

- There will be a requirement to attend the Specialist Hospice at Home hub in person and virtually.

- Mileage can be claimed from home as your base

- There may be a requirement to travel outside of local hub area on occasions.

Job tasks

- To provide high standards of care to the patients and family, including hands on care and emotional support.

- To work with palliative patients in the last year of life.

- To apply knowledge and understanding of patients individual needs in a non-judgemental and caring manner.

- To provide opportunities to listen to patients and family members, enabling them to share what is important to them.

- To communicate sensitively in a way patient will understand.

- Clearly record all care required on electronic records.

- To have ability knowledge and skills required for the safe moving and handling of patients.

- To identify any element of risk and ensure that risk is managed appropriately under the direction of the Specialist Hospice at Home team/line manager.

- To work closely with all members of the Specialist Hospice at Home team, undertaking joint visits with other health care professionals as required.

- To provide care after death if required.

- To work with care agencies if required, offering informal teaching if needed.

- Maintain confidentially and dignity of patients at all times.

- To prompt patients with prescribed oral medications where patent is self-administrating medications.

- To reports any accidents or incidents that might occur to the patient, relative or member of staff, in accordance with Weldmar policy.

- To attend mandatory training provided by Weldmar.

- To attend line management meetings, supervision and team meetings as required.

- To offer gentle touch/ hand/ foot massage to patients after appropriate training

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• -NVQ Level 2-3 or higher in care or experience from a relevant role.
• -A minimum of 2 years working experience of direct care giving in a similar role is essential, and experience of delivering care at end of life is desirable.
• -Knowledge of palliative care would be advantageous.
• -Able to work independently and with other members of the SH@H team in the patients own home.
• -Good awareness of own limitations, and able to recognize the need to ask for assistance and for onward referral.
• -Commitment to developing skills and knowledge of the care of the dying person and family.

Experience

Essential

• -Skilled at working with people providing intimate and personal care to them in a respectful and dignified manner.
• -Good verbal and written communication skills
• -Ability to build trusting relationships enabling effective communication with patients and carers
• -Show empathy and present a calm, courteous and compassionate manner.
• -Ability to follow plans of care and taking direction from senior colleagues
• -Ability to work autonomously and safely in a persons home and or other setting such as clinic, care home.
• -Able to demonstrate an understanding of the importance of boundaries in relationships with patients and their families.
• -Ability to work unsupervised as a lone worker as needed and the ability to work as a supportive team member.
• -Able to demonstrate self-care and emotional resilience including access to clinical supervision, line management, and Weldmars suite of Wellbeing Supports.
• -Committed to self-development.
• -Flexible approach
• -Post holders must hold a driving license with appropriate business insurance, have access to a car and be prepared to travel throughout the defined catchment area.
• -Must be IT literate and confident, and be able to use a number of IT systems and Weldmar databases.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Weldmar Hospicecare

Address

Herringston Road

Dorchester

Dorset

DT1 2SL

Employer's website

https://www.weld-hospice.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)